Bee Monitoring
The bee monitoring protocol outlines 5 sampling windows, monthly, from May to September. Transects are laid out in the target habitat with 24 small bowls of soapy water placed 5 m apart and left through the daylight hours or overnight if possible. Observers also net bees for 30 minutes while visiting the site. Samples are submitted with a standardized label to the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory.
During the first year of the project (2018), 12 sites participated in monitoring and 125 species from 25 genera (5 families) were collected across all sites. 92 species were rarely collected (less than 10 individuals each) and 43 of these were singletons. Augochlorella aurata was the most commonly collected species, accounting for nearly half of all specimens.
A presentation introducing the target species of the project was prepared for the NEAFWA conference (2018).
A poster overview of results for 2018-2020 was presented at the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Conference in April 2022.

Augochlorella aurata
credit: USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab